The Voluntary Sector Network Meeting – 26th February 2025/ Online

Chaired by Sandie Smith

Sandie welcomed everyone to the meeting especially the new VSN members.

 Draft ICB Strategic Commissioning Plan – Nicola Ward, ICB

Nicola gave a Powerpoint presentation and took questions during and after. This part of the meeting was recorded and will be available to members. In the short-term Sandie will write a briefing and circulate together with the slides.

ACTION- Sandie to produce a briefing and share with the slides – click below to access the presetion and the briefing.

ACTION- To try and convert the recording so its accessible to all- DD – Click below to access the recording.

Reps Feedback

Sandie will circulate a list of VSN reps and committees so that members know who to speak to regarding committee items.

As Julie Farrow is retiring in April and she has been attending the Integrated Care Partnership meetings the voluntary sector network will be looking for another rep. We need someone with lots of knowledge and expertise- the strategy group are looking at the ask and we will come to group for EOI soon.

We had asked the ICB for a place on the ICB Board – John O’Brian supported our ask but it has to go via NHS England as it’s a change in the constitution. In the interim Sandie or Mark (CCVS) will attend the public meetings.

The Strategy Group- wrote to the ICB and CCC about the uncoupling of the LDP

Healthwatch also raised concerns about lack of information. We will be keeping a close eye on this ensuring that organisations that provide services for people with LD as well as the carers and service users themselves are kept informed and not inconvenienced.

Sharon who sits on the Workforce collaborative regularly brings things to the VSN where you can get involved. You will see these in emails from Debbie.

Programme Director Update

The panel have now considered the EOI for the Assura/ICB  monies. We had a big response to this with 52 submissions. All organisations should have been contacted by now.

One group said they had not heard anything

ACTION- Sandie to ensure notifications have been sent.

Andrea is working hard to get the ongoing funding for the VSN and is aiming for a 3 year commitment

Hunts Forum and CCVs will be merging from beginning of April – most things will be the same but will be led by Mark (CCVS) but you will see a different email address at some point.

The ToR for the VSN need some updating so expect to see something soon – probably by the next meeting.

NI increase- the impact of this on Voluntary sector organisations is likely to have impact. Sandie has received lots of feedback on this. Mark and Julie have been having conversations with groups.  Some commissioners are looking at different ways for organisations to manage.

The CVSs and other infrastructure organisations, including Sandie on behalf of the VSN, attend the aligning support group meetings- this group formed about a year ago. It is addressing inconsistencies between different statutory organisations in the way they commission and are trying to find a coordinated way of doing this. The group wants to be sure it is having an impact. 2 areas being looked at are

• Review of the old Compact and refreshing it in line with new guidelines. They want it to be a model rather than a document
• Volunteering – research with Anglia Ruskin looking at local barriers to volunteering- also looking at employment routes from volunteering.

 AOB

Debbie has organised 2 mini showcase events one on Mental Health support the other on support in community. Details have been shared previously but can be found on

https://supportcambridgeshire.org.uk/training/whats-on/

A future Health and Wellbeing Network meeting is being organised around assisted technologies.

It was noted that one of the VSN members is having to close- Hunts Shopmobility after 18 years as there has been no funding stream for them for some time.